A Day in the Life
by Teddy R. Lupin
Summary: AU TDK as in Rachel doesn't die. Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent are trying to live normal lives, but when an old enemy shows his face, the superheroes are forced into action, putting their families in danger. Will they survive? Crossed with Superman Returns.
1. Prologue

"Alfred!" cried the boy. "Alfred, where are you?" He sighed heavily and sat down on the dirt. He looked at the dirt road ahead of him. _Where am I?_ he thought. Freezing, he wrapped his coat around him and started walking.

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"Jonathan, Clark, dinner!" called Martha Kent. She heard a loud breeze, and turned around to see her 10-year-old son Clark sitting at the table, grinning widely. She sighed as her husband Jonathan walked in. She gave him a soft kiss on his cheek and they both sat down.

They were about halfway through dinner when they heard a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," said Martha. She made her way to the front door and opened it. She saw a boy, slightly older than Clark, unconscious on the pavement. "Oh, my god," she whispered.

"Martha? You okay?" called Jonathan.

"Um, Jon, you better come out here," came her reply. He got up and went to her. When he saw the boy he looked warily at his wife. He knew her fondness for strays, and knew exactly what she would say. He nodded and said,

"You'd better help me get him in the house." Martha smiled and nodded. They picked him up and set him to lie on the couch until he woke up.

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Rubbing his eyes, the boy sat up. _Where am I? How did I get here?_ He was inside a house, a sharp contrast to the dirt road he had been on. He heard the stairs creak, and he spun around. A red-haired woman turned to look at him, and when she saw him awake, she smiled and came towards him. She sat down on the couch and studied his face.

"You're not from around here, are you?" she asked him. He shook his head.

"Not exactly," he replied.

"What's your name?" she asked. "Where are you from?"

"Bruce Wayne," he answered. "I'm from Gotham." She gasped and said,

"Gotham? That's so far from here," she said. "What are you doing here?"

"Where's here, exactly?"

"You're in Smallville," she replied. "Where are your parents?" Bruce sighed.

"My parents died, nearly six years ago," he said, avoiding her gaze. Martha put a comforting arm around his shoulders.

"I'm so sorry," she said. He shook his head.

"Don't be," he replied, "it wasn't your fault." He got up, in search of his jacket.

"Where are you going?" she asked. When Bruce didn't reply, Martha sighed. He said,

"To find Alfred."

"Who's Alfred?" she asked.

"My butler- my closest friend," he said shortly. He didn't feel very much like going into his past with Mrs. Kent. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned around.

"We'll get Alfred back, Bruce," she said firmly. "I promise." Upon hearing those words, Bruce smiled slightly and said,

"Thank you."

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	2. Present Day

"Bruce," said a voice. "Hey, you awake?" Groggily, Bruce Wayne opened his eyes to see the smiling face of Rachel Dawes staring down at him. He smiled back and said warmly,

"Hey, Rachel." She sat down in the seat next to him.

"Alfred says we'll be there shortly," she elaborated. Bruce smiled contentedly and closed his eyes. "Bruce…" she laughed. "You're seriously going back to sleep?" He looked at her with his eyebrows raised.

"There's a problem with that?"

"You know that's not what I meant," she said. He put an arm around her as she snuggled into his chest. He laid his head on top of hers and mumbled into her hair,

"Maybe I can stay awake for a little while." Rachel smiled to herself and gave him a soft kiss on his forehead. He put his left arm around her waist and slid his other arm to hold her lower back, massaging her, taking away her stress. She looked into his eyes and he grinned. Rachel put her arms around his neck and he bent down to kiss her. The simple kiss quickly turned into one of heated passion, and Bruce found himself pulling her on top of him with his hand creeping up her shirt to undo her bra. He was just about relaxed when Rachel broke the kiss.

"What was that for?" he mumbled. She kissed him again, but short and quick.

"Bruce, we're on a plane. Alfred could walk in on us at any time," she pointed out. His shoulders slumped in defeat and he nodded. Just as Rachel had predicted, Alfred walked in.

"Master Wayne, we have arrived in Smallville, Kansas," the old butler said. Bruce smiled and said,

"Thank you, Alfred."

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Clark Kent had just gotten home from saving Japan from a major tycoon when he heard a knock on the front door. _Great,_ he thought. _Never time to relax. _As he headed for the door, a blue blur sped up to him.

"Daddy!" Clark grinned down at his son and bent to pick him up.

"How was school?" Jason frowned. Concerned, Clark said, "Is everything all right?" Jason nodded and looked up at his dad with his lightning blue eyes.

"It's just kinda boring," the boy answered. Clark smiled.

"Boring, huh," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. Jason nodded vigorously. The knock on the door was getting persistent, so Clark walked over and opened it to find the grinning face of…

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"Bruce?" Clark shook hands with the other man. "Come in, please, come in." Rachel gave Bruce an impressed grin and he gave her a glance that clearly said, _I-told-you-so._ "So, how's Gotham?"

"Not bad, but I must say, due to your…ah… absence, crime has escalated like hell," he said. "Glad you're back in the picture." Clark turned red and looked down at his feet. "No offense intended, of course. It's kept me busy." Clark grinned and nodded.

"The pleasure's all mine," he said. Then he turned to Rachel. "This is… Miss Dawes, I believe?" She nodded and said,

"Call me Rachel." Clark acknowledged her with a nod and said,

"Fair enough. Why don't you two go sit in the living room while I get you something to drink?"

"Actually, Clark, I need to get going. Gotham needs Batman," Bruce said.

"_Bat_man?" asked a young voice from Clark's shoulder. Bruce gave Clark an amused grin and Clark smiled in return. "Who's that?" Rachel spoke up.

"Well, you know how Superman saves people in Metropolis?" Jason frowned, and said,

"That's not true, Superman saves people all over the _world._" Rachel sighed.

"Well, Batman is kind of like Superman, but he saves people in a city called Gotham, where Bruce and I live," she elaborated.

"You mean he's Kry- kryp-" He looked at Clark for support.

"Kryptonian," he said, grinning. "No, Batman's human, but he saves people, just like Superman does. Isn't that right, Bruce?" Bruce nodded in agreement.

"Right you are, Clark," he agreed. "See you later."

"See you," Clark said. He sighed and sat down heavily.

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"Clark?" called a feminine voice. "Are you home?"

"Yeah, Lois, I'm over in the dining room," he replied.

"Who was the hottie leaving?" she asked. Clark glared at her. She laughed and sat next to him. "I was kidding, Clark." As if to prove her point, she gave him a soft kiss on the lips. He smiled and slightly nodded. He stood up, startling her.

"Where are you going?"

"England. Terrorist robbing a bank," he said, and in a flash of red, blue, and yellow he was gone. Lois stared at the place where he had disappeared. She knew his job was important, but she couldn't help feeling jealous. _Well, a day in the life,_ she thought.


	3. True Feelings

"Alfred?"

"Yes, Master Wayne?" the older man said, turning around.

"Could I ask you for some…ah… advice?" Bruce asked hesitantly. Alfred smiled and said,

"Anything, sir." Bruce looked down at his feet. "Would I be right in thinking this has something to do with the lovely Miss Dawes?" Bruce nodded and took a deep breath.

"I love her, Alfred," he said hopelessly. "But she doesn't feel the same way."

"How do you know that, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked.

"She- she told me," Bruce said. "She said that Bruce Wayne was the mask, and Batman was who I really am- and as long as Batman is around, I won't be the man she loved." As he finished, tears fell from his eyes and Alfred put a hand on Bruce's shoulder as to comfort him.

And standing in the doorway, Rachel looked at the scene in front of her, feeling horrible about what she said to him_. God, I'm so sorry, Bruce, I love you too… _

At that moment, Alfred looked up, and saw that Rachel also had tears in her eyes. He motioned for her to come take his place. She bit her lip and nodded. Slowly, she put a tender hand on Bruce's arm. He looked up, his face red and puffy from his tears.

"Rachel?" he said warily. "How much did you hear?" She smiled.

"Bruce, I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking when I said that," she whispered. She cried softly and Bruce gathered her into his arms and held her tight. "I love you, Bruce," she said through her tears.

"I love you too, Rachel- more than you will ever know," he whispered. She hiccupped and more tears fell from her eyes. He laid a hand on her cheek, caressing her. She let her hand rest on his chest. She searched his eyes for any sign of his intentions, but as her lips found his, his intentions were clear. As he broke the kiss, he fumbled in his pocket for something. He cleared his throat and said, "I had actually planned on doing this somewhere more elegant, like Paris, but I can't think of a better time than now, and a better place than here, in Alfred's kitchen- where I first met you." She laughed at the memory, and smiled. Bruce took a deep breath. "I never thought I'd have the guts to do this." He kneeled before her, and as Rachel realized what he was doing, she gasped. He smiled and continued, "Rachel Dawes, will you spend the rest of your life with me- as my wife?" Tears flowed down her face as she looked at him. She gulped.

"Yes, Bruce Wayne, I will spend the rest of my life with you," she said softly, through her tears. He slid the ring on her finger and slowly stood up. Alfred, who had been standing in the doorway, clapped. Bruce just smiled broadly and hugged Rachel, who closed her eyes and leaned on him. Bruce raised an eyebrow at Alfred.

"What?" he asked indignantly. "It's my kitchen!" Bruce raised both eyebrows at him, as if to say, _it's my house! _"Very well, Master Wayne." Alfred left the room, leaving Rachel and Bruce alone.

"I love you," he whispered into her ear. She smiled and whispered back,

"I know. I love you too- and I always will. Batman or Bruce Wayne, it doesn't matter anymore. You'll always be my Bruce." He let tears fall from his eyes, knowing fully that she couldn't see them. _I've never felt this happy. Never in my life. I only hope it will last. Will she still love me when she realizes the depth of living a double life? I can only hope everything will work out…_


	4. Started on the Rest of Their Lives

Several months later, Rachel Dawes, soon to be Wayne, paced back and forth in the front of the church, anxiously looking out for her maid of honor.

"Aunt Rachel!" said an excited young voice. Standing in the doorway was six-year-old Jason Kent, son of Lois Lane. She smiled at him and bent down to give him a hug. "You look pretty," he said shyly. Rachel blushed and asked,

"Hey, you know where your mom is?" Jason shook his head. "Could you go find her for me?" He nodded and took off, superspeeding to find her.

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Bruce Wayne stood by the altar, talking with Clark Kent. An occasional laugh accompanied their conversation.

"Hey, Clark, you didn't happen to see Rachel when you came in, did you," Bruce asked nervously. Clark smiled at the uneasiness of his friend.

"Don't worry, Bruce, she's here," Clark replied.

"No, I mean, I know I'm not supposed to see her now, but could you give her a message for me?" he asked.

"Sure," Clark answered.

"Tell her I love her very much and I can't wait to see her." Clark nodded his understanding and headed towards the front of the church.

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"Rachel?" She turned around to see Clark. "You look absolutely stunning." She laughed.

"Your son told me the same thing," she said.

"Bruce asked me to tell you that he loves you very much, and he can't wait to see you. You should see him," Clark laughed. "I'm surprised the poor guy hasn't wet his pants yet. He's a nervous wreck." Rachel smiled and nodded.

"I'm a nervous wreck, too," she admitted. "Weren't you, Clark?"

"I don't remember having a case of the wedding day jitters, oddly enough," he said. "For me, I knew Lois was the one, so there was no reason to be nervous." She nodded, understanding. They heard the music blaring from the organ, and Clark said, "Looks like it's time."

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Bruce Wayne looked down the aisle anxiously as the door opened. Rachel Dawes, his bride, slowly came into view. She walked gracefully towards him, and gave him an encouraging smile. As she reached him, he extended his hand and took hers. His heart beating at the speed of light, he barely heard what the preacher was saying.

"Do you, Bruce Wayne, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love her, cherish her, as long as you both shall live?" Bruce felt his mouth go dry and he managed to say,

"I do."

"Do you, Rachel Dawes, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love him, cherish him, as long as you both shall live?" Rachel looked Bruce in the eyes and said firmly,

"I do." Bruce released a breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding.

"You may kiss your bride," the preacher addressed him. Bruce put a hand on her waist and drew her towards him. He leaned down and kissed her passionately. When they finally broke the kiss, Rachel's tears became evident and Bruce looked at her with concern. She tried her best to smile and wiped away her tears.

"I now present to you… Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Wayne," the preacher announced. There were impressed whistles, cheers, and clapping, but Bruce and Rachel heard none of it. They clasped each other's hands and walked down the aisle to the doors.

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The next morning, Rachel woke up, confused. _Where am I?_ She felt the bed move and looked around. Next to her was Bruce, still fast asleep. Rachel smiled, memories of the previous night coming to her mind. She leaned over and stroked his face. In response, his eyes fluttered open and upon seeing her face, he grinned. She laid a hand on his bare chest and he pulled her closer to him. She kissed his chest and laid her head on him. He put his arms around her and closed his eyes. He sighed and she gave him a lingering kiss.

"I love you," he mumbled, slowly drifting off to sleep again.

"Bruce," Rachel started. At the mention of his name, he reluctantly opened his eyes and sat up. "I love you, too."

"It's amazing, isn't it," he asked. Confused, she asked,

"Is what amazing?" Bruce sighed and got up, searching for his pants. He opened to window, to reveal the city of Paris. He turned to face her. The stunned look on her face made Bruce smile broadly. "Paris?" she breathed. "How did you get here without me noticing?" He sat down next to her.

"You fell asleep on the plane, Rachel," he explained gently. She nodded in understanding. "I would've told you, but-" She laughed.

"Bruce, it's okay," she assured him. "I love it." He grinned and said,

"Well, let's get started." She looked at him strangely.

"Get started on what?" Bruce, who had just finished buttoning his shirt, turned around, surprised.

"On what? The rest of our lives, of course," he replied. Rachel grinned and grabbed a shirt, pulling it over her head.


	5. Back Home & Realizations

Several weeks later, Bruce and Rachel Wayne were back in Gotham. As they walked into the Manor's front room, Rachel smiled at the sight. Noticing her reaction, he put a hand over her shoulders and whispered,

"Welcome home, Rachel." She gave him a quick kiss and looked around. _This is _my _house now. Not just Bruce's anymore. Our house,_ she thought. "Alfred?" he called, breaking her train of thought. Footsteps came hurriedly down the stairs.

"Yes, Master Wayne," the old butler answered. Bruce smiled and said,

"How're you doing, Alfred," Bruce asked his friend. Alfred shrugged, as if to say, _so-so. _

"It's been kind of lonely by myself, if you want the truth, Master Wayne," he admitted. "Not unlike when you go off to save Gotham, and I'm left here." Rachel stepped up, and Alfred embraced her.

"Don't worry, Alfred, I'll be here too," she said. Bruce's grin faded as he realized, _I _will _be leaving her every night._ Not noticing Bruce's inner turmoil, Rachel turned to him and smiled. He returned the smile half- heartedly and looked down. "Bruce?" When he didn't respond, she asked, "Bruce, what's bothering you?" He shook his head and left the room. Concerned, Alfred looked to Rachel as if to ask, _what happened? _She shrugged and sighed.

"You know, once upon a time, it would be me going after him," Alfred started. "Now I think that job falls to you, _Mrs_. Wayne." She nodded in agreement and followed after her husband.

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"Bruce?" He looked up miserably.

"Rachel?" he croaked. She sat down next to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"What is it?" she asked softly. He stared down at the floor as tears escaped from his eyes.

"This- this was a mistake, Rachel." His voice cracked and his body shook violently. "I thought-" His sobs overcame him and he put his head down.

"Bruce-" she said, disbelieving. Breathing in and out slowly, Bruce looked up at her, afraid.

"I thought I could be there for you, Rachel, but I can't," he said, hesitantly. "I will always be Batman."

"Bruce, I know," she said with tears in her eyes. "It doesn't matter, I still love you."

"No, you don't understand," he said, angrily standing. "Batman has enemies. If someone discovers my identity, they don't have to look far to see what they need to do to get to me…" Suddenly understanding, Rachel looked into his eyes.

"Bruce-"

"No! I can't let you take that risk!" His eyes were flaming, as if he was burning in his pain. "I love you too much," he said softly. Rachel stood up and said quietly,

"Don't you love me enough to let me make that choice myself?" Bruce put his arms around her, as if he was afraid to let her go.

"Rachel-" he whispered. "I'm sorry. I just- I want you to know, when I'm out there, I'm always thinking of you."

"It's alright, I know, Bruce, I know what I signed on for." He sighed and leaned on her head_. I hope so, Rachel, I hope so. _

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KNOCK, KNOCK.

"Coming," called Clark Kent_. Who the hell gets up this early? _He opened the door to find Rachel Wayne, shivering from the cold, followed by Alfred. "Oh, my God," he breathed. "What happened?"

"Clark?" called a feminine voice from the stairs. "You okay?"

"Uh, yeah, Lois, I'm fine," he said. "But I think you better get down here."

"Rachel?" Lois said, surprised. "Come in, you must be freezing." Rachel nodded her thanks and sat down on the couch, her body shaking. "What is it?" She did not respond, and she didn't need to.

"Master Bruce went missing last night, and we've not seen nor heard from him since," Alfred explained. Clark nodded gravely, understanding. Lois, though understanding, knew that Rachel wasn't telling the whole truth.

"There's more, isn't there?" she said softly. Rachel's eyes widened in fear. "Rachel, it's okay, you can tell us."

"Lois, can we talk?" she asked quietly. "Alone?" Lois nodded and gave Clark a look that said, _get- out- now- or- else. _Clark gave her a slight nod and motioned for Alfred to leave with him. Lois turned to Rachel.


	6. Captured & Super Hearing

Batman awoke, struggling against the chains that bound him. _What the hell? Where am I? _

"Feeling homesick?" said a cold voice from the corner of the room. Batman opened his eyes. He observed his environment. _Where am I? _

"Who are you?" he called out. "Show yourself!" The voice laughed.

"I really don't think you're in the position to be giving orders, _Mr. Wayne_," the voice said. Bruce gasped. He shook his head, and his hair fell in his eyes. _Shit. My_ _mask_, he thought.

"Show yourself, coward!" Bruce yelled. The man stepped out of the shadows. His grin and bald head gave him away instantly.

"Lex Luthor," Bruce said grimly. "What do you want with me?"

"Me?" he asked, feigning innocence. "What would make you think-"

"The fact that you're Lex Luthor," Bruce cut him off. Lex grinned.

"Okay, you're right, bat-boy," Luthor said. Bruce glared at him. "Now tell me… _who and where is Superman_?" Bruce snorted.

"If I knew, what makes you think I'd tell _you_?"

"You're forgetting your position, Mr. Wayne," Lex said smoothly. "I'm here, with a gun, and you're tied up, weaponless." Bruce looked down at his belt. Luthor was right.

"Just spare me the pain, I've got nothin' to lose," Bruce lied, his eyes flaring dangerously. Luthor leaned in close to him and cocked the gun. Bruce lifted up both his feet and kicked him in the head, making him unconscious. He felt around his boots, searching for a knife. With a sharp, 'ouch!', he had cut through his bonds and was collecting his weapons from the floor where Luthor had put them. He pulled his mask over his head and he was gone.

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"Lois… I don't know what to do, now that I've lost him…" Rachel sobbed. Lois put her arms around her friend and said,

"Rachel, don't think like that! We'll get him back."

"I'm not an idiot, Lois, something happened to him- he's never coming back." She heard a knock on the door. "You'd better get that."

"Clark, can you get that?" Lois called out of the living room.

"No problem, Lo," he called back. She turned back to Rachel.

"So-"

"Umm… Lois?" called Clark from the other room. Lois rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Clark," she said exasperatedly.

"You'd better get out here," he said.

"Fine, I'm coming," she called back. She motioned for Rachel to follow her. Rachel wiped away her tears and followed Lois into the kitchen. She looked up and saw Clark's grinning face, and was confused.

"Wha-" She saw a figure come out from behind Clark. "Oh, my God," she breathed. "Bruce…" She walked to him and stroked his face softly, as if to make sure he was real. "God, I never thought I'd see you again…" she whispered. He held her tight and whispered,

"Don't worry, I'll always be here, Rachel." She sobbed into his shoulder. She looked up into his eyes, and realized his face was bruised.

"Bruce… what happened?" she said, wiping her tears away. He looked to Clark and Lois and bit his lip.

"An… old friend paid me a visit," he replied. Clark's jaw dropped. Lois, however, looked confused, as did Rachel. "Lex Luthor," he clarified.

"Oh, God, not now," muttered Rachel. "What did he want?" she asked him. Bruce shook his head.

"I don't know- I knocked him out before he got the chance to explain," he started. "But, he did want you, Clark." Clark raised his eyebrows at Lois.

"Doesn't he always," she said. Clark nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, that's a surprise," he snickered. They laughed, despite the grim situation. Clark felt a small hand touch his arm, and saw Jason rubbing his eyes. "Hey, what're you doing awake? It's early, Jase."

"Who wants you, Dad?" Lois and Clark looked at each other. _Oh, shit. _Bruce looked at Clark, clearly amused. 'Super hearing?' he mouthed. Clark shrugged, as if to say, _I guess…  
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Okay, I have two ideas, and I'm not sure what to do.

1. Clark's house is surrounded by Lex Luthor's "thugs" and he is taken away, causing everyone to go on a search for him.

2. Clark's house is surrounded by the thugs, but the head thug has some kindness in him, and he leaves Clark and his family again.

*Please tell me what you think, because I won't be able to post anything else until I know what I should do. =]

Jason


	7. Are You Serious?

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The next day, at Wayne Manor, Bruce was lying on the couch, trying to make sense of the events over the past few days. Why hadn't Luthor gone after Lois, or someone _close_ to Clark?

"It doesn't make any sense," he muttered to himself.

"What doesn't make any sense?" asked a soft voice from behind him. Surprised, he turned around and stood up.

"Rachel?" he asked, confused. "Hey, I thought you went shopping with Lois in Metropolis." She nodded.

"Yeah, I was supposed to, but she got called away on assignment, so here I am," she said. "Don't tell me you're disappointed, Bruce." He smiled.

"No, of course not, but I really have to work," he said.

"I never thought I'd hear 'Bruce Wayne' and 'work' in the same sentence," she teased.

"That's so funny I forgot to laugh," he said and made a face at her. "If you're so experienced, you explain this."

"Okay, try me."

"Lex Luthor, who has made it his hobby to piss off _Superman,_ comes after _me_," Bruce said. "How does that make any _sense_?" Rachel pursed her lips.

"Well, I'll admit, Lex Luthor is a strange person to deal with," she said, sighing.

"That, Rachel, did not answer my question," he replied with raised eyebrows. She gave him a soft kiss and took his hand in hers.

"Look, Bruce, I have to tell you something," she said quietly. "I-" She looked away, but he caught her face in his hand.

"You're trembling," he said, concerned. "You alright?"

"I- I'm- Bruce, I'm pregnant," she said, and looked at the floor.

"Are you serious?" he said, hardly daring to believe it. "Are you sure?" She nodded, tears flowing down her face. "Hey," he whispered. Bruce lifted up her chin so she was looking into his eyes. He grinned broadly. He pulled her close to him and searched her tearful face. "Don't cry, this is the most wonderful news I've gotten in my life," he said. Her face lit up.

"Really?" she asked hopefully.

"Definitely," he assured her. She leaned on his chest and closed her eyes. He held her close to him and smiled_. At least Lex Luthor is Clark's problem…_

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That night, long after Clark and Lois had put their son to bed, Jason's lightning blue eyes opened. _What's that weird noise? _He looked out his window to see men dressed in black handling guns and flashlights. As one of them looked up at his window, he quickly ducked. He ran from his room to his parents' room across the hall.

"Dad," he said urgently. Confused, Clark sat up, groaning.

"Jase? What're you-" he started. "You all right?" Silently, Jason pointed to the window. With his X- ray vision, he saw the same men his son had seen. Clark bit his lip. _How did he find me so quickly? _He shook his wife awake. "Lois," he whispered. "Lois, get up." Disgruntled, she sat up, yawning.

"Smallville, you know I need my beauty sleep," she argued, clearly annoyed.

"Quiet!" said Clark. He sat Jason on his lap and held him tightly.

"What's wrong, Munchkin?" she asked, concerned. She turned to her husband. "You mind telling me what's got our son terrified?" Clark sighed and turned to her.

"Lex Luthor," he said quietly. "He's got his thugs surrounding the house." Lois's face paled and tears slipped down her face.

"Oh, God, Clark, what're you going to do?" she whispered. He put his spare arm around her. He sighed and breathed in her perfume. "I don't know, Lois, but I promise, you'll get out of this." Lois, who had noticed the singular 'you', stared at him in disbelief.

"You're not going out there," she said firmly. "It's Lex Luthor. He'll have Kryptonite bullets, Clark, you know that!" Putting Jason in Lois's lap, he stood up, not facing them. "Clark…" she whispered hopelessly. He turned around, his eyes full of regret. Lois stood up and walked over to him, knowing full well it might be the last time she would see him alive. She reached her hand up to touch his cheek, her eyes brimming with tears. Before she knew it, Clark was kissing her, a kiss full of sorrow, passion, and of things he knew could never be undone. For a moment, she rested on his chest, not wanting to let go. He forced her off, though he would have done anything to keep her close. He walked towards the other side of the bed where their little boy sat. Clark sat down next to him and softly brushed Jason's messy hair out of his eyes. _This is the hardest goodbye,_ he thought. Jason looked up at his dad, his eyes full of innocence.

"Jason-" his voice cracked. "You take care of your mom for me, okay?" Confused, Jason asked,

"But Dad, you promised you wouldn't go away again." Clark looked down, his eyes watering. "You're not, are you?"

"No, Jase, I promised I'd stay, and I am," he said trying to be of some comfort to the boy. "But the bad men need to be taken care of, you understand that, don't you?" Jason nodded wistfully. After a second's thought, he wrapped his arms around his father's neck.

"I love you, Daddy," he said through his tears. Clark tightly hugged him back and whispered,

"I love you too, kid. So much." Lois felt her heart break. Clark released himself of Jason's grip and walked to the door. He gave Lois one last kiss, one of longing. He looked back at her sadly. _I love you, Lois. I only wish we had more time_. Lois took in a deep breath.  
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Dun, dun, dun! Evil cliffhanger there...but I have no idea how to continue it, if you read my A/N at the end of the last chapter. Reviews are greatly appreciated.


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